Historic England has developed a draft Toolkit for Managing the Ownership of Archaeological Finds in England, as part of the Future for Archaeological Archives Programme. It has benefitted from initial advice from members of the programme’s Advisory Panel and from Queens Counsel legal advice.
The new toolkit is designed as a resource for individuals involved in the management, recovery, and archiving of archaeological materials. It offers guidelines to ensure the secure and legal transfer of ownership of archaeological material, thereby supporting effective archival practices and planning policy. The toolkit consists of a model deed of transfer and guidance covering principles of ownership, advice on transferring ownership of the material archive, procedures for arranging transfer of ownership, guidance for planners, landowners and planning applicants/developers and guidance where landowner consent cannot be obtained.
The Toolkit includes sections on:
- Ownership – the principles of ownership of archaeological finds
- Advice on transferring ownership of the material archive from an archaeological project
- Procedures for arranging transfer of ownership
- for a development project
- for a research or community project
- Guidance for planners, landowners and planning applicants/developers
- Guidance where landowner consent cannot be obtained
- Objects already in museum/repository collections
- Material assemblages stored by archaeological contractors
The draft toolkit is subject to a consultation period of nine months between January and September 2025. Historic England very much welcomes all feedback, which can be submitted via this short form https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=RG4RMHlNwESowevAcH2jyWGl58Stc09CpJPQVx986upURTJWV0hYSEZURzFQMFFEQTJCNE5TMEpSVy4u&route=shorturl
or by emailing FAAP@historicengland.org.uk.
Results of the survey will be analysed in Autumn 2025 and will inform the toolkit’s further development.
Industrial Heritage Networks 